The present invention is directed to a refrigerant recycle/recovery/charging system. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a highly versatile yet portable refrigerant recycle/recovery/charging system which allows a single system to perform the evacuation, charging, recovery and recycling of refrigerant in a low pressure refrigeration system.
Previous recycle/recovery type systems have been typically directed to high pressure refrigeration systems such as those used in automobile air conditioning units. The previous systems are designed so that an untrained service man can service an automobile air conditioning unit by simply attaching a few hose connections and initiating an automatic process. Such a system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,416 to Manz et al. This system is intended for operation by relatively unskilled personnel with minimum operator intervention. To accomplish this, a complex assembly of expensive valves, gauges, and sensors is used under the control of an electronic controller. However, in each embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-8 of this patent, the required sequence of an inlet 32, a strainer 30, a pressure switch 42, a valve 28, 78, a heat exchange/oil separation unit 26, a compressor 22, the heat exchange/oil separation unit 26, a pressure switch 70 and a container 58 limit the versatility of this unit while contributing greatly to its expense.